Manual
This is the original manual for the game, only slightly edited for readability. __TOC__ The History of the World For thousands of years, the gods have lived in their home, Asgard. Most of the gods champion the human race, protecting them from greater evils that would destroy their realm, Midgard, and all that lies within it. Few see the gods or their work, as they are usually disguised as commonplace people and lesser creatures. Despite their subtlety, the Asgardians are constantly at war with those who would harm Midgard. Threatening the gods themselves are greater evils that came with them from the dawn of time. Fenrir and Garm, the two vile wolves, have killed many of the Asgardians, and would have laid waste to everything in their path, swallowing even the sun, moon, and stars had they not been captured and bound by the gods. Equal to Odin, the first of the gods and father of all living things, is Surtr, the chaotic fire demon. His lust for evil is patient and brooding, for he has sworn to destroy the Tree of Life by fire, destroying Asgard, Midgard, and all the realms of the universe, leaving nothing but flames and darkness. The Norns have prophesied that his success is unavoidable, for he has merely to wait for the power of the Asgardians to wane while he grows stronger in silence. Lurking in the depths of the seas lies Jormungand, a serpent born of evil during the chaos at the beginning of time. Coiled about the great Tree of Life, he gnaws slowly at the roots, severing the lifeblood that holds the worlds together. He hungers to destroy the world and return all to the nothingness from whence it came. Of all the evils confronting the gods, the most devious and wicked god, Loki, lives with the Asgardians, spreading strife and contention. It was Loki who brought about the death of Balder for the simple pleasure of destroying the most loved of all the gods. Loki had promised not to harm Balder himself, but later beguiled Balder's beloved half-brother into hurling a mistletoe dart at him, the only living thing capable of harming Balder. Balder's immortal soul was taken by Hela, goddess of the dead. In a vain effort to recover Balder, the gods attempted to bargain with Hela. Hela promised to release Balder if every living thing wept for him, knowing full well that one solitary giantess, Thokk, had a heart so cold that she would weep for none. All life wept for Balder but Thokk, leaving Balder trapped in Niflheim as long as Thokk lives. The gods have lost much of their might through various arcane evils and misadventures. According to prophecy, these handicaps will be their undoing. Odin lost Gungnir, his powerful spear in a battle with the frost giants. Without its deadly accuracy and magical powers, he will be helpless to fight Surtr and his fire demons in armed combat, for no other weapon can withstand the heat of Surtr's fiery form. Freyr, on the other hand, traded his powerful sword, Mimming, for a bride. In surrendering Mimming, Freyr surrendered his invulnerability as well. During the chaining of Fenrir, Tyr suffered the loss of his right arm. While holding Fenrir at bay, the foul wolf grabbed hold of his arm with his jaw, and only by tearing it off was Tyr able to escape death. Mighty Thor himself has suffered at the hands of darkness. In conspiracy with the lord of the fire giants, Loki deceived Thor into leaving his hammer, Mjollnir, in the halls of Grynr, the most impenetrable labyrinth of caves known to exist. Loki likewise beguiled Heimdall, Asgard's guardian, into allowing Frekstn Tyl to touch the outer shell of his great horn, Gjall. Disguised as a mute messenger, Tyl approached Heimdall peacefully, but upon gaining his confidence, Tyl cursed Gjall. The great horn turned into the writhing serpent, Aspenth. Aspenth twisted free of Heimdall's grasp, plunging off of the rainbow bridge, Bifrost, into the land of Mimer. Mimer bound the evil serpent into a deep Well from which it could not escape. Unable to leave his post, Heimdall cannot journey forth to reclaim his horn, and Aspenth destroys all who come near. Without his horn, Heimdall has not the power to warn the Asgardians of their impending doom. Goals Although many hold the prophecies of the Norns to be all-knowing, it is whispered that the future is not set in stone. Although wise, the Norns often overlook the potential of humans in their powerful webs. Many believe that the prophecies can be foiled through human intervention, but it will take a true hero and exceptional warrior to meddle in the realm of gods and giants. With the dread day of Ragnarok approaching, many have quested forth to recover the lost artifacts of the gods, or to find the rainbow bridge. No one has ever returned. It is 999 AD, and as a young Viking, you fear there is little time left before the coming of Surtr and his hordes of fire demons. The nights have been increasingly colder, the days shorter, and the sun and moon have been growing steadily darker, indicating that the power of the gods is faltering. You have decided to brave the unknown rather than wait to perish in flames. You have chosen to leave your village to pursue the following quests: * News of Mimming (Freyr's sword), Mjollnir (Thor's hammer), or Gungnir (Odin's spear). * Mimer's Well and the skill and magic needed to defeat Aspenth, releasing the curse that forms him into a serpent. * Some manner of weapon or magic that can assist Tyr in battling with but one arm. * Thokk's tears, or news of her death to bring to Hela in exchange for the release of Balder's soul. Even the Norns cannot predict the final outcome of Ragnarok, but you know in your heart that the successful efforts of a true hero may save the world. The World of Ragnarok The world is divided into three main Planes of Existence: Midgard, the land of mortals (including men, giants, and dwarfs), Asgard, land of the gods, and Niflheim, land of the dead. In addition, five Minor Planes are known to exist and there may be countless others outside the normal boundaries of space and time. Midgard Midgard is the plane of the world where men live. It consists of a great forest bounded by virtually impassable mountains. On the other sides of these mountains lie the perilous river Vid, Mimer's Realm (which is host to hordes of powerful creatures in addition to the Spring and Well of Mimer), Jotenheim (the land of the fire and frost giants), Nidavellir (the caves of the elusive dwarfs), the river Gioll (the entrance to Niflheim), Slaeter's Sea (a land of great adventure and danger), and the base of the flaming rainbow bridge, Bifrost, which leads to Asgard. Somewhere within the boundaries of the great forest lies an entrance to a vast underground world. The size of this complex is unknown but rumors have filtered back of the existence of a large crypt, a temple, and even a strange bazaar. Few have ever ventured past Midgard's protective mountains or into the world of darkness below the forest. Nidavellir is said to be home to both the mythical forges of the dwarfs and their gigantic mining operations which are said to reach beyond the depths of the earth. Asgard Asgard exists on a plane above Midgard and is accessible to mortals only by crossing the rainbow bridge. Here lie the homes of the gods and the Great Plain Vigrid, the prophesied site of Ragnarok, the final battle for the existence of the universe. Niflheim Niflheim is a plane of unimaginable cold located beneath Midgard. The souls of those who have not died gloriously in battle are consigned to spend eternity here where Hela and her legions of demons rule Niflheim with an iron hand. It is here that Hela cruelly holds the soul of Balder. Minor Planes Not much is known about Azare's Plane; the greatest alchemist of all time discovered and named it after himself. It is believed that the source of his great power emanated from this plane. The Crossroads are spoken of only in whispers by those who worship the great gods of the knilbs. While the knilbs themselves barely understand the powers that they have, it is said that a man who gains the knowledge of traveling via the Crossroads will rule the world. Limbo is a plane located parallel to Niflheim where the gods send those who need to learn the lessons of humility. Chaos is a strange world that Konr Rig created through sheer will. It exists as a warning to those who tamper with his power without proper worship. The Wasteland is an area that has slipped outside the normal flow of time. It is an area which is as unstable as Midgard was in the early stages of its existence. How to Use Ragnarok Installing Ragnarok Insert disk 1, type INSTALL and depress the ENTER key. Follow the instructions given by the install program until all files have been copied onto the hard drive. Starting Ragnarok # Log onto the drive containing the RAGNAROK directory (e.g.: C: ). # Log into the RAGNAROK directory (e.g.: CD \RAGNAROK ). # Type in RAGNAROK and depress the key. You are now ready to play Ragnarok. Playing Ragnarok The first screen contains the view from the base of Bifrost (the rainbow bridge) which connects Midgard (earth) and Asgard (home of the gods). Press any key to proceed. The second screen asks for a basic description of your adventurer. You are first asked to enter the name of your adventurer. You may choose a name randomly by striking or you may enter your name by using the keyboard. Names may be up to ten letters long. Press when your character's name is complete. Select a gender for your adventurer by pressing for male or for female. The third screen asks you to choose your character's class. You may choose a class by typing the first letter of the desired class or by placing the mouse icon inside of the desired class's box and pressing either button on the mouse. A description of the character classes appears later in the manual. If you have saved games, a special screen will appear before the second screen. You may then choose to play a previously saved game by typing the number of that game or by placing the mouse icon on that number and depressing either mouse button. You may also erase old saved games by typing or placing the mouse on the erase game button and then choosing the number of the game to be erased. Click the cancel button or press to cancel erasure. Games set to be erased will be marked with an . Should you decide that you do not wish to erase a game marked for erasure, merely repeat the erase procedure upon it. It will now be removed from the erasure list and be no longer marked by an . If you wish to play a new game merely type or or depress the new game button using the mouse icon. Survival Tips The odds are against the survival of your character. Most creatures are hostile and these hordes vastly outnumber you. Fortunately, humankind is more intelligent than other races, and can develop strategies for survival. Here are some strategies to aid in your quests: * Use projectile weapons. Each hit you inflict on a monster from afar may be a fatal blow, thus saving you the risk of hand-to-hand combat. * Flee when outnumbered or overwhelmed. If you manage to elude your pursuers, you can recuperate to reengage in combat when you are stronger. * Take advantage of friendly creatures. The shopkeeper is the first of several friendly beings you will meet. If you are in need of aid, retreat into the shop where you can shut the doors or enlist the aid of the powerful trader. Friendly and neutral creatures are identifiable by their lack of interest in attacking you. If you move onto their square, they will move elsewhere rather than engage in combat. * Map the entire level. Each square may contain an item which could prolong your life and aid you in your quest. Also, fight each hostile monster that you are capable of defeating. Only through successful battles will you be able to become a hero of mighty proportions. * If one empty square separates you from a hostile creature, wait one turn for it to move next to you. In this manner, you can strike the first blow. * Pay close attention to the messages which you receive in the message area. They will allow you to better understand cause and effect relationships of your actions. * Do not neglect the use of diagonal movement. This will allow you to more efficiently map and escape from foes. * Beware monsters whose speeds are greater than yours. Fleeing may not be particularly helpful. * Do not be afraid to use up scrolls, potions, and wands. Dying with these objects still in your possession is of no use to you. * Keep a notebook handy. You may wish to keep track of such things as effects of magical items, advice from sources such as the raven and diaries of other adventurers, and information about each race of monsters such as which attack strategies are successful and which have no effect. * Do not battle a shopkeeper or attempt to steal from him unless you are assured of victory in your endeavor. * If you can find no strategy that is successful against a certain race of creatures, you may wish to genocide them using a scroll of extinction. * Take your time. No game time will pass unless you press a key. Relax and think about your moves. * Take chances. Try out new magic items that you have not before encountered. In order to ultimately be victorious you will have to sacrifice some adventurers first. * Lastly, if you are still having trouble, play only the more powerful classes (Viking, woodsman) until you have more experience with the game. The Screen The playing screen is broken into five areas. The first part is the upper map. This map provides an overview of the entire level you are currently on. The second is the status area. This area is located on the lower left portion of the screen and contains the following information: Items 3 through 6 have a status bar. The amount of green showing equals the percentage remaining of the maximum of that category. The third partition of the screen is the lower map. This zoom mode shows the area near the character in more detail. The fourth area is the area of the mouse buttons (see Commands). The fifth area is the message area. It is located on the bottom two rows of the screen and will tell you the effects of many of the moves which you initiate as well as actions which occur as the result of outside sources. Your Character's Characteristics Status Area Hit points. Hit points represent the amount of physical damage a character may take before dying. The higher the number of hit points, the more damage a character may sustain. Hit points increase as a character gains experience levels (see below) and through magical means such as the consumption of certain foods and potions. Lost hit points do regenerate slowly over time. Strength. Strength is a measure of the muscle strength of the character. Strength influences the amount of weight which may be carried, the amount of damage which may be inflicted, the ability to hit a target, the distance objects may be thrown, the amount of hit points gained as new experience levels are reached, and even the ability to wield or hurl certain magical items. Magic points. Magic points are necessary in order to cast spells. These points regenerate over time (see Conjurer, under Character Classes for descriptions of spells). Hunger level. This represents the relative fullness of the character's stomach. Eat whenever hungry to avoid miscasting spells, fainting, and starvation. Experience level. Initially, each character starts with no real-world experience. Actual battle situations are what allow the character to become a better fighter: hardier, and more able to adapt to new situations. After set numbers of experience points are reached, the character will increase in experience level. Increased experience also hones each class' special skills (see Character Classes for a description of these abilities). Constitution. Constitution represents a character's general health and hardiness. A high constitution will bring a rise in the character's rate of healing, resistance to toxins in foods, and lung capacity. Additionally, the higher a character's constitution, the greater the rise in hit points as new experience levels are reached. Luck. Luck reflects the favor of the gods upon the character. Luck affects such things as the number of items the character may encounter, the quality of objects found, the infliction of damage by the character, the ability to avoid traps, and the ability to use objects such as wands and orbs. The scale of luck runs from -100 to 100, with 7 being the starting point for all adventurers. Armor Class. Armor class represents a combination of a character's ability to dodge and parry attacks. The lower the armor class, the greater the chance that the character will sustain no damage in an attack. Armor class may be lowered by increasing the thickness and toughness of skin and by wearing all available pieces of armor. An armor class of 10 is normal for an unarmored human. Gold. Gold is the coin of the realm and represents the character's wealth. Abilities Identification. A character with this ability is able to pick up an object and immediately know both what it is and its quality. Master of weaponry. Those who possess this mastery are among the most lethal fighters in all the world. Telepathy. Telepathy is the ability to sense other minds, thus knowing the positions of hostile creatures before they are inadvertently discovered. Swimming. Those who wish to master Slaeter's Sea and plunge to the depths of Mimer's Well must first learn how to swim. Levitation. Levitation allows one to hover just slightly above the terrain, thus avoiding most traps and obstacles. Musical acuity. Those who have the ability to play music will find the strange instruments of our lands to contain great power. Increased visual range. Characters with increased visual range are able to perceive parts of the spectrum not normally visible to the human eye. Non-visual perception. This physical manifestation causes a secondary bundle of nerves to grow parallel to the optic nerve. If the optic nerve is damaged somehow, this alternate link-up will allow for limited sight. Throwing skills. Practice with each type of throwing or shooting weapon increases accuracy and power. Skills Alchemy. Those skilled in alchemy can create nearly any potion known to mankind. Cartography. Adventurers with the skill of cartography intuitively know the features of terrain surrounding them. Diagnosis. With only the merest of glances, an adventurer with the skill of diagnosis can take stock of a creature's state of mind, hit points, armor class, speed, ability to hit, and ability to inflict damage. Embalming. The possessor of this skill can preserve the bodies of the dead. Fennling. Fennling is the ancient art of transfer of charge between similar wands. Golem Creation. Bodies of the recently slain may be brought back to life by adventurers who possess this knowledge. However, not all golems can be kept under control by their masters. Husbandry. This skill, learnt from the breeder race, allows users to clone most forms of life instantaneously. Ironworking. The skill of the blacksmith is one of the most valued by mankind. For without the weapons and armor he can create, there would be no glorious adventures of conquest. Fletching. When a character learns the art of the fletcher, he may carve arrows and bolts from the wood of trees. Origami. This decorative art of paper folding increases the value of otherwise worthless paper. Precognition. Characters with the skill of precognition can channel the untapped power of the mind toward discovery of the unknown. They need merely to concentrate upon an object and they will feel a sense of the quality of that object. Relocation. The ability to teleport at will has saved many an adventurer's life. This skill may not be overused; the energy needed to move a body through rifts in the dimensions to a new physical location must be slowly recuperated. Taming. Those who possess the skill to tame lesser creatures are often seen surrounded by a worshipping entourage. Slave usage. The skill to use slaves is available to those who control other's minds and those who control mindless golems. Ventriloquism. This minor skill can sometimes confuse creatures as to the whereabouts of the user. Writing. Writing is one of the most powerful tools known to mankind. An adventurer who can write and knows the specific runes can create any magical scroll he wishes. Powers Animation. This power allows the user to breathe life into inanimate objects. Dimension travel. Adventurers who possess the power to travel to the mysterious Crossroads can travel nearly anywhere in but an instant. Fire vision. Those who possess this power can send out fiery beams of destruction with a mere gaze. Heat radiation. Adventurers who have attained this power may send out a blaze of heat in a sphere surrounding their bodies. Innate powers. Innate powers are available to adventurers who have shed their human form and become another type of creature. Mind control. Those who possess this power can force their will upon the minds of lesser creatures and control their movements. Psionics. Psionic ability is the power to engage in mental warfare. An adventurer having this power can blast the minds of other sentient creatures. Spellcasting. The ability to cast spells (see Conjurer under Character Classes for descriptions of spells available). Terraforming. Terraforming is the ability to instantly transform one feature of terrain into any other. Some powerful creatures can reflect or avoid this power when it is used as a mode of attack. Resistances Cold. Provides the adventurer with resistance to any form of cold. Heat. Provides the adventurer with protection from all heat and flame except that which can boil the blood and damage the heart. Acid. Makes the adventurer impervious to all forms of acidic attack. Poison. Ensures the adventurer against all but the most powerful of toxins. Death ray. Places the adventurer in a state similar to that of undead creatures. That is, his or her physical body may be destroyed, but the heart is immune to attack. Ray. Causes all rays which strike the adventurer to harmlessly pass through his physical body. Petrification. Changes the physical structure of the skin of the adventurer so that it resembles that of the dreaded cockatrice. This means that attacks which would normally turn the adventurer to stone instead have no effect. Teleportation. Allows the adventurer to control the location of his or her physical body. Diagnostics Race. Lists the race of the adventurer. Sex. Lists the gender of the adventurer. Eyes. Lists the current number of eyes which the adventurer has. Fingers. Lists the current number of ring bearing fingers which the adventurer has (thumbs are not included). Speed. Lists the current speed of the adventurer on the Raud scale. 10 is normal for humans. Morality. Lists the relative morality of the adventurer. Great lapses in morality may be severely punished by the gods. Additional listings. The diagnostic screen will also inform the adventurer if he, she, or it is blind, deaf, turning to stone (hardening), fading from existence, lycanthropic (afflicted with the disease of one who is a werewolf), confused, hallucinating, contaminated with fatal toxins, feverish from the effects of a fatal disease, afflicted with rotting disease, dyslexic, or invulnerable. Character Classes Each character starts as an apprentice to a class. To reach mastery of one's chosen class, one must read a scroll of knowledge. Below are descriptions of the six apprentice classes. They include hit points (HP) and strength (STR). Viking The apprentice Viking is training to become a master of weaponry. As such, he has the highest HP (high 30s) and STR (18) of the apprentice classes. As the Viking becomes more experienced in the field of battle, he learns to attack so quickly that occasionally he will get a second attack. Alchemist The alchemist is an average physical specimen (HP in mid 20s, STR 14). As an apprentice, the alchemist sets out with an array of potions. These potions may not be beneficial, nor may mixing them be so. Therefore, it is often prudent to wait before experimenting. While it is possible for anyone to learn the art of alchemy, an apprentice alchemist will learn the profession faster, make fewer mistakes, and can create unique potions once he has reached a level of mastery. The pride of the alchemist is the potion of second life. Sage The sage is one of the physically weakest classes (HP low 20s, STR 12). What he lacks in strength, he makes in intellect; the sage is the most learnt of all the classes. While others are able to learn to write, their knowledge is limited. Not so with the sage; once he learns to write with his stylus, it will be just a matter of time until he can produce scrolls never before seen. The most prized accomplishment of a sage is a scroll of switch bodies. Woodsman The woodsman is hardy (HP mid 30s, STR 16). He is adept with both the long bow and the crossbow. He is equipped with both as well as the appropriate projectiles. He easily learns to swim, quickly learns the art of fletching, and can tame lesser creatures when he becomes a master woodsman. Conjurer The conjurer is not as strong or as healthy as other classes (HP high 20s, STR 10). However, he makes up for his failings by learning the art of spellcasting, the skill of fennling, and the ability to teleport. The spells that are available to the conjurer are as follows (the level listed is the level at which the spell is learnt, the cost is listed in magic points): Blacksmith The blacksmith is a robust character (HP low 30s, STR 17) who is following in the family trade. He is equipped with a silver sword, scale mail and an ingot of fine metal to forge. The blacksmith is one of the most respected members of his community due to ability to forge weapons and armor after his apprenticeship ends. Although other characters may learn to forge weapons and armor, adventurers who choose this profession will be able to master the art of the smith faster and produce finished goods that other classes may not. Movement Normal Movement Movement may be accomplished in three ways. The first method is to place the mouse cursor on the lower map in a desired direction away from the character symbol and press either button. The second method of movement is to place the mouse cursor anywhere on the upper map in a desired direction from the character symbol and press either mouse button. The third method is to use the number keypad by pressing the appropriate number in the direction you wish to go: 7 8 9 4 you 6 1 2 3 The character may rest one turn by clicking on the character symbol with the mkey. To go up one depth level or down one depth level (on stairs or holes), the player may either click the mouse cursor on the up arrow or down arrow located in the far right row of mouse buttons, or may type to go up and to proceed downward. Attacking To attack hostile creatures, the player needs merely to attempt to move toward the hostile creature. To attack friendly or neutral creatures, the attack friend command must first be used, followed by the desired direction of attack. Aiming When a command prompts you for a desired direction to aim, the previously mentioned movement instructions may be used to choose any of the eight directions surrounding the character, with the two additional choices of up and down. Commands The following keys may be employed in addition to the buttons available to the mouse: *: These commands involve picking a list of items. The list may be selected as explained in the previous paragraph with the following additions: * + selects all items * + selects unpaid items * ) selects all weapons * selects all tools * selects all rings * selects all scrolls * selects all wands * selects all food * selects all armor * selects all potions * selects all amulets These additions are also available to the mouse by selecting the appropriate symbol box. These commands involve choosing a space on the screen. This may be done by moving the mouse to the desired square on either map and pressing a button, or by using the movement keys to direct the cursor to the desired square and selecting that square by typing or . Items Herein follows an incomplete list of some of the items found in the Northern Lands. These lists were made by Borak of Old and are said to be true and reliable. Amulets These rare and magical gems are worn upon the forehead and may endow the wearer with special skills. Existence confirmed: Existence not confirmed: Armor Including armor class value for each item. Basic Armor A cloak may be worn with or without other armor. Elven Armor Other legendary items of armor are rumored to exist, but their whereabouts have never been confirmed. Food Notwithstanding edible animals. Potions There are many potions rumored to exist in the Northern lands. Most of Borak's records on potions have been lost or destroyed. Produced by alchemists, these vials contain fluids which have a specific effect. A potion may be drunk or mixed with another potion to produce even rarer solutions. Mixing is dangerous, but can yield great reward. Potions can be blessed and are safest when identified. Here follow the few remaining records on potions: Rings Ancient devices of great magic. One ring may be worn per finger. Effects of some rings may be additive. One must check self whenever a new ring is worn. Some are cursed and can only be removed by destruction or a scroll of dispel hex. Some rings confer protection from the elements. Some give the wearer extra senses. The history of the rings is a secret closely guarded by the Shamans. Borak's scanty records on rings are as follows: Scrolls The ancient Norse scrolls contain specific spells woven together in rune writing. In reading a scroll, the power of the spell is released and the scroll is vaporized. Tools and Miscellaneous Items Wands Wrought in secret from gnarled boughs of ancient trees, these magical devices draw their strength from the earth itself. Their lives are limited and are eventually drawn back to the earth from whence they came. Each wand has a specific power. Most wands are directional. Weapons Three known categories of weapons exist: those which are wielded, those which are hurled or fired and legendary weapons of great power. Wielded Weapons The following weapons are listed in order of desirability and ability to inflict damage. Some are even more lethal when wielded by a weaponmaster. Thrown or Fired Weapons Repeated use of the following weapons brings greater skill and increased ability to hit and damage. Weapons of Legend Knowledge of these sacred weapons exists only in Norse lore. Some say that if they exist at all, they can only be wielded by the gods themselves. Races of the Northern Lands Herein follows an incomplete list of some of the races of man and beast in the Northern Lands. These lists were chronicled by Borak of old as told to him by the great hero Throm-Inui. Many races are mortal enemies of man. A few noble races remain as allies of mankind. Be wary and live. Midgard The Village The Forest Underground Deep Underground Depths of the World Mimer's Realm, Jotenheim, Nidavellir, Slaeter's Sea, Bifrost and the Rivers Vid and Gioll Niflheim Norse Gods Aid them, and be rewarded... The Aesir The Vanir The Evil Gods Attract their wrath, and be destroyed... Category:The Game